As I talked about in my class reflection from this week, I had AI select what recipe I would be following this week. The lemon bars are really delicious, and great for someone who doesn’t love very chocolatey desserts like me. This recipe is a nice balance between sweetness and the tart taste of the lemon.

Recipe:

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Makes: 20 lemon bar squares

Ingredients:

Shortbread crust

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cold

Lemon filling

  • 6 large eggs
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest
  • 2/3 cup lemon juice
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Preparing the crust:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with the rack in the middle position
  • Prepare a 9 x 13 baking pan by lining it with aluminum foil or parchment paper
  • Place the flour, cornstarch, salt, and powdered sugar into the bowl of a food processor fit with the blade attachment, mix until combines. Add the butter in 1/2 inch pieces, and mix until the mix resembles a coarse sand.
  • Press the mixture firmly into the pan in an even layer, building an edge around the sides
  • Place in the freezer to set for 15 minutes
  • Bake the crust in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown

Preparing the filling:

  • Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour in a large bowl. Make sure there are no lumps of flour!
  • Once the crust is done cooling, give the filling a final stir, and pour it directly over top of the crust in the pan
  • Return the pan to the oven immediately and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the filling is set and firm on top
  • Allow the lemon bars to cool at room temperature before cutting, this will take several hours.

Tips and Tricks:

  • When making the crust, I had to go in with a pastry cutter and then my hands to make sure the butter was fully mixed in, don’t be afraid to do this!
  • The recipe warned against using regular aluminum foil, but it worked perfectly fine for me. To ensure easy removal, use parchment paper
  • If you are someone who bakes and cooks often, invest in a good zester for around $15! They really do make a huge difference in this step. I have linked one that is similar to the one I own below. Deiss – Zester
  • To some this may seem self explanatory, but make sure you zest the lemon before you juice them, you’ll find it very difficult to zest once the lemon has been cut.
  • If you do not have fresh lemons, store bought lemon juice should work just as fine.